Bornemann



W. BORNEMANN DEVICE FOR HANDLING AND TRANSPORTING A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS Filed 0G12. 29. 1956 Aug.

Flg.

w/LL/AM HORNEMA/v/v l INVENTOR. BY M2 ATTORNEY a AGE/vf nite DEVICE FOR HANDLING AND TRANSPRTING A PLURALITY F ELEMENTS William. Bornemann, Rochester, NX., assigner to Eastman- Kodak Company, Rochester, NX., a corporation of New Jersey Application @ctober 29, 1956, Serial No. 618,764

` Claims. (Cl. 294-115) The present invention relates to a device for handling and transporting a plurality of thin, discrete elements and more particularly with respect to such a device for elements provided with a noncircular aperture adjacent one edge thereof.

The use of grapples and similar devices for insertion into such articles as casings, cylindrical tiles, pipe pullers, etc. for purposes of manipulating and handling such articles is well known. However, this type of device is usually of very rugged construction and due to the type of article being handled, in many instances the grappling mechanism digs into the article in order to insure positive retention by the grapples. In the present invention, the disclosed device is used for handling and for transporting thin, discrete elements, such as photographic paper, iilm, etc. Since the size of such elements is relatively small, of the order of iive-eighths of an inch by an inch and a quarter, it can be readily appreciated that `known types of devices as mentioned above are not applicable to handling and transporting these elements in numbers which may vary from one to severalthousand.

The elements to be handled are provided along one edge thereof a noncircular aperture. A noncircular aperture is used in order to ensure a very minimum amount of movement between elements, and in the case of a photographic element, whether it is paper or iilm, this is of paramount importance. It is well known that dust particlesy and. grit can scratch a iilm emulsion and that damage to photographic iilm or paper is increased by the abrasive action resulting from movement of one piece of iilm withrespectto another. For this reason, it is essential that any possibility of movement between pieces of film in Contact be eliminated or atleast be reduced to a Very minimum amount of movement. This` is accomplished by providing the above-mentioned noncircular aperture in each piece of iilm and by making the cross section ofthe supporting member on which a plurality of such. elements are retained congruous to the noncircular aperture.. With this arrangement, movement of one photographic element with respect to another and particularlyv across another is completely eliminated. The elements may,. however, move relative to one another alongy the supporting member but such movement will not produce. the same abrasive effect. In addition, it is essential that the retaining members of the device which maintain the elements in. a stacked relation must preferably contact the photographic iilm or paper only in. an area in which there is no image. This will also eliminate any.A possibility of the image area being scratched or otherwise damaged by the retaining members.

The primary object of the invention is, therefore, to provide aV device for. handling and/or transporting thin, discrete elements in relatively large quantities and in a stacked relation and which permits a minimum amount of movement between the elements when in the stacked relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for insertionA into the aligned apertures in a plurality' of elements so that said device can be utilized to handle and transport the elements in a stacked relation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device which can be readily inserted into a noncircular aperture in each of a plurality of elements, the inserted member being congruous in cross section to the aperture to permit movement of the elements only along the inserted member and which is provided with releasable members for retaining the elements on the device in stacked relation.

And a further object of the invention is to provide a device which is insertable in apertures in a plurality of elements and having retaining members which are movable from an operative position in which the members engage one of the elements adjacent its aperture to retain the elements on the device to an inoperative position in which the members are moved within the device to permit its being inserted into and withdrawn from the apertures.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art by the description which follows:

The invention comprises a carrier member having a handle portion, a supporting member, an actuating member, and retaining members pivotally mounted within the supporting member. The carrier member is; provided with an identification surface and a surface substantially the size of the elements for serving as a retaining surface. The supporting member is fixed to the carrier member and is formed substantially C-shaped to provide a guideway for the actuating member and congruous in cross section to the non-circular aperture in each of the elements, the supporting member extending perpendicular to the retaining surface of the carrier member and having the retaining members pivotally mounted adjacent the other end thereof. The actuating member engages the retaining members and when it is moved relative to the supporting member, the retaining members are moved about their respective pivot points` into an inoperative position in which they are completely within the supporting member. The actuating member is moved by a button iiXed thereto and slidably mounted on the carrier member and against the action of a return spring. With the retaining members in this inoperative position, the supporting member can be readily inserted into the apertures. When the supporting member has been fully inserted through the apertures, the button is released and the retaining` members then return to an operative position in which they protrude beyond the supporting member to engage the first element adjacent the aperture to retain the stack onthe supporting member. The stack of elements is, therefore, positioned on the supporting member between the retaining members and the retaining surface on the carrier member and although the shape of the supporting member and the aperture in each element eliminates any possibility of movement of the elements with respect to each other about the supporting member, the elements are sufficiently free to move length- Wise of the supporting member to a certain extent which is dependent on the number of elements thereon.

Reference is now made to the accompany drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts andwherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the device with a portion of the supporting member broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the device and particularly of the carrier member;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the formation of the guideway in the supporting member and the actuating member slidable in said guideway;

Fig; 4 is a detail plan. view of an element, such as a;

piece of photographic lm, having an aperture adjacent one edge thereof through which said device has been inserted from the underside to show the relation of the retaining members to the apertures;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the lower end of the supporting member and showing the positionof the actuating member and retaining members in the operative jposition; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view similar to Fig. 5 and showing the actuating member and retaining members in the inoperative position.

In one application of the device to disclose the manner in which the invention is utilized, the element 10, as shown in Fig. 4, is a small piece of lm of the dimensions set forth above and on which a plurality of images and/or code is photographically recorded. These elements are stacked and retained in vertical open-end magazines or receptacles forming a part of reproducing apparatus, viewing apparatus, etc. Since the elements are relatively small, it is necessary to handle the elements by some means other than by hand in order to eliminate finger prints, smudges, etc. Also, due to their small size, it is exceedingly ditiicult to insert and/or withdraw the elements from the magazines by hand. As a result, it was necessary to devise some means by which the elements could be readily handled and manipulated with respect to the apparatus, such as is mentioned above.

The elements 10 comprise an image area 11 in which one or more images of documents, etc. can be exposed and/or in which columns of code can also be exposed. Each element is also provided with a noncircular aperture 12 adjacent one edge thereof, said aperture being preferably located adjacent one of the shorter edges and of the shape shown in Fig. 4.

A device for the purposes described above and embodying the invention is shown in Figs. l and 2. This device is, however, merely illustrative of one form which the invention can assume. In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 15 designates the device broadly and the carrier means 16 can be of any lightweight material, such as a plastic, and having a handle portion 17. Handle portion 17 is offset with respect to the base portion 18 which is provided with an identity area 19 on which or to which a file or category number can be aiixed. The front of carrier means 15 lis provided with a recess 20 and a smaller recess 21 in which the spring 22 is arranged. Front recess is covered by plate 26 which is secured by screws 27 to base 18. v

The support member 30, as shown in Fig. 1, is relatively long and is formed throughout its length, as shown in Fig. 3, substantially C-shaped, the cross section being congruous to aperture 12 in element 10. In forming member 30, the opposite sides 31 and 32 are spaced from each other so as to form a guideway 33. The upper end 34 of member 30 is arranged in recess 20 and fixed to base 18 by means of screw 35, plate 26 also serving to retain member 30 in recess 20. At the lower end 36 of member 30, a spacer 37 is arranged between sides 31 and 32 and is provided with a notch or recess 38, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Adjacent the lower end, the edges 39 of member 30 are provided with slots 40.

Actuating means 42 comprises a iiat strip 43 which is slidably arranged 'in guideway 33, has an operating button or knob 44 `fixed to the upper end thereof, and is provided at the lower end with a reduced portion 45, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The reduced portion 45 is also provided with notches 46 on opposite sides thereof for a purpose to be presently described. Theshank 47 of button 44 is fixed to strip 43, extends in one direction through an elongated slot 48 in side 32 of member 30 and extends in the other direction through an elongated slot 28 in plate 26. The end 51 of shank 47 extends into recess 21 and is engaged by spring 22 which maintains strip 43 in a raised position so that the lower end normally assumes a position as shown in Fig. 5. As

shown in Fig. 1, pin 49 which is secured to side 32 of member 30 engages an elongated slot 50 in strip 43 and serves as a guide and stop to limit the movement of strip 43.

The retaining means 52 comprises two bell crank levers 53 having an actuating arm 54 and a support arm 55, the levers being pivotally mounted on member 30 at 56 and 57 adjacent the lower end 36 and edges 39 of member 30 with arms 54 in engagement with notches 46, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Arms 55 are provided with a supporting surface or edge 58 for engaging the surface of an element immediately adjacent aperture 12 to support the elements 10 in a stacked relation.

Since spring 22 normally maintains strip 43 in a raised position, bell crank levers 53 are normally maintained in an operative position, as shown in Figs. l and 5, in which position arms 55 extend through slots 40 and surfaces 58 are at right angles to the edges 39 of support member 30. In this position surfaces 58 will support the elements 10 in stacked relation on member 30, the surface 58 engaging the under surface of the lowermost element between the ends of slots 12 and the long edges of element 10. Member 30 extends perpendicular to base 18 and is located with respect to the undersurface 59 of base 18 in the same relation as slot 12 is located with respect to element 10, the surface 59 of base 18 having substantially the same overall dimensions as element 10. As a result, surface 59 serves as a stop against which the stack is maintained when member 30 is fully loaded.

In order to insert member 3i) into the apertures 12 of a stack of elements, all of said apertures being in an aligned relation, carrier 15 is grasped by means of handle 17 and button 44 is depressed downwardly against the action of spring 22. Because strip 43 is fixed to button 44, it is also moved downwardly in guideway 33 and the extent of movement is limited by pin 49. As strip 43 moves, levers 53 are simultaneously rotated about their pivots 56 and 57 and through slots 40 into an inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 6, in which position levers 53 are completely within support member 30. Button 44 is held in this position as member 30 is moved through apertures 12 and when the end 36 of member 30 is past the lowermost element, button 44 is then released. Upon release of button 44, spring 22 moves button 44 and strip 43 upwardly and levers 53 are pivoted by the notches 46 in strip 43 into their operative position in which surfaces 58 engages the lowermost element to retain them on support member 30 in a stacked relation. It is to be understood, of course, that levers 53 must be in the inoperative position to enable device 15 to be inserted into as well as withdrawn from a stack of elements 10. As pointed out hereinabove, elements 10 are retained in various apparatus in open-end magazines which are provided with marginal lips along two sides for supporting the stack of elements. The length of support member 30 is made slightly greater than the height of the magazine so that when a stack of elements is to be inserted into or withdrawn from the magazine, device 15 can be moved relative to the stack once the stack is seated on the lips to permit levers 53 to be pivoted into support member 30 without striking the lowermost element for withdrawal through the complete stack. By making surface 59 substantially the same size as element 10, the surface 59 provides contact over the Whole area of the element and, at the same time, serves as a means for limiting the movement of elements 10 along support member 30 when it is not completely full. It can also be readily appreciated that by making support member 30 congruous in shape throughout its length to aperture 12, which is noncircular, that movement of elements 10 across each other, which movement is most likely to have an abrasive effect, is entirely eliminated. However, elements 10 are suliiciently free to permit movement thereof along support member 30.

In conjunction with an open end magazine having lips which protrude inwardly from the lower open end to support the elements within the magazine, a stack of elements arranged on device 1`5 is deposited in the magazine by merely inserting the entire support memberl through the upper open end of the magazine. Upon seating of the stackv on the lower lips, button 44 is held in itslowermost position and device 151 is then withdrawn through aperture 12, the stack remaining in the magazine. To withdraw a stack of elements from a magazine, button. 44 is held in its lower position as member 30 is moved through the aligned apertures 12 and until end 36 is beyond the bottom of the stack and arms S5A will clear the lowermost element as they move to the operative position. Button 44 is then released and the stack can lthen be withdrawn fromy the magazine, the elements being retained on support member 30 between surfaces S8 and 59.

The, foregoing description and disclosure is merely illustrative of one embodiment of the invention and many modiications thereof will be, apparent to those skilled in the art. However, the invention isV not to be limited to the embodiment disclosed but is defined by the appended claims.

Having now particularly described my inventiomwhat I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and what I claim is:

1. A device for handlingand transporting a plurality of thin, discrete elements having a noncircular aperture adjacent one edge thereof, said noncircular aperture being elongated in a direction parallel to said one edge, said device comprising a carrier member, a relatively'long and hollow member secured at one. end toV said carrier member and formed congruous in cross-section throughout its length tosaid elongated noncircular aperture for insertion therein to receive a plurality of elements in stacked relation, retaining members pivotallymounted within said hollow member adjacent the other end thereof for movement between a normally operative position and an inoperative position in a plane parallel to said one edge and normal to the plane of said element when said hollow member is positioned with respect to said elements for movement through said apertures thereof, each of said retaining members including an actuating arm and a support arm having a surface thereof extending beyond and normal to said hollow member in said operative position for engaging the surface of one of said elements on opposite sides of said aperture in the elongated direction to retain a plurality of said elements on said hollow member, actuating means including an actuating member slidably mounted within said hollow member and substantially coextensive therewith and an operating member secured to one end of said actuating member and movable with respect to said carrier member, said actuating member being provided at the other end thereof with a reduced portion having notches on opposed sides thereof for engaging said actuating arms and movable by said operating member for pivoting said retaining members simultaneously and completely within said hollow member to said operative position with said support arms adjacent said reduced portion for insertion and withdrawal of said hollow member with respect to the apertures in said plurality of elements, and spring means arranged within said carrier member and engaging said operating member for maintaining said actuating means in a position with respect to said hollow member whereby said retaining means are maintained in their normal operative position.

2. A device for handling and transporting a plurality of discrete photographic elements having a noncircular aperture adjacent one edge thereof, said noncircular aperture being elongated in a direction parallel to said one edge, said device comprising a carrier member having a handle portion and a retaining surface for said elements, a relatively long member secured at one end to said carrier member and extending therefrom perpendicular to said retaining surface, said member being formed congruous in cross-section to said elongated noncircular aperture for movement through the apertures of said elements and providing a guideway throughout its length, bell crank levers pivotally mounted in said guideway adjacent the other end of said long member for movement in a plane parallel to said one edge. and normal to the plane of said element when said long member is positioned with respect to said elements for movement through said apertures thereof, each of said levers including an actuating arm and a support ann having a surface thereof extend'- ing beyond and normal to said long member in a normally operative position for engaging the surface of one of said elements on opposite sides of said aperture in the elongated direction to retain a plurality of said elements on said long member in a stacked relation, an actuating member slidably mounted in said guideway and substantially coextensive therewith, said actuating member having a reduced portion at one end and notches on opposed sides of said reduced portion for engaging said actuating arms to move said bell crank levers from said operative posi'- tion to an inoperative position in which said' bell crank levers are Within said long member for insertion and withdrawal of said long member with respect to the apertures in said plurality of elements.

3. A device for handling'and transporting'a plurality of discrete photographic elementsk having a noncircular apertureadjacent one edge thereof, said noncirculary aperture being elongated in a direction parallel to said one edge, saiddevice comprising a carrier member having al handle portion and a retaining surface for said elements, a relatively long member secured at one end to said carrier member and extending therefrom perpendicular to said retaining surface, said member being formed congruous in cross-section to said elongated noncircular aperture for movement' through the apertures of said elements and providing a guideway throughout its length, belll crank levers pivotally mounted in said guideway adjacent the other end of said long member for movement in a plane parallel to said one edge and normal to the plane of said element when said long member is positioned with respect to said elements for movement through said apertures thereof, each of said levers including an actuating arm and a support arm lhaving a surface thereof extending beyond and normal to said long member in a normally operative position for engaging the surface of one of said elements on opposite sides of said aperture in the elongated direction to retain a plurality of said elements on said long member in a stacked relation, an actuating member slidably mounted in said guideway and substantially coextensive therewith, said actuating member having a reduced portion at one end and notches on opposed sides of said reduced portion for engaging said actuating arms to move said bell crank levers from said operative position to an inoperative position in which said bell crank levers are within said long member for insertion and withdrawal of said long member with respect to the apertures in said plurality of elements, and resilient means arranged in said carrier member for maintaining said actuating member and said bell crank levers in said normally operative position.

4. A device for handling and transporting a plurality of discrete photographic elements having a noncircular aperture adjacent one edge thereof, said noncircular aperture being elongated in a direction parallel to said one edge, said device comprising a carrier member having a handle portion and a retaining surface for said elements, a relatively long member secured at one end to said carrier member and extending therefrom perpendicular to said retaining surface, said member being formed congruous in cross-section to said elongated noncircular aperture for movement through the apertures of said elements and providing a guideway throughout its length, bell crank levers pivotally mounted in said guideway adjacent the other end of said long member for movement in a plane parallel to said one edge and normal to the plane of said element when said long member is positioned with respect to said elements for movement through said apertures thereof,

each of said levers including an actuating arm and a support arm having a surface thereof extending beyond and normal to said long member in a normally operative position for engaging the surface of one of said elements on opposite sides of said aperture in the elongated direction to retain a plurality of said elements on said long member in a stacked relation, an actuating member slidably mounted in said guideway and substantially coextensive therewith, said actuating member having a reduced portion at one end and notches on opposed sides of said reduced portion for engaging said actuating arms to move said bell crank levers from said operative position to an inoperative position in which said bell crank levers are within said long member for insertion and withdrawal of said long member with respect to the apertures in said plurality of elements, and an operating member secured to the other end of said actuating member and movable with respect to said carrier member for imparting movement to said actuating member and said bell crank levers.

5. A device for handling and transporting a plurality of discrete photographic elements having a noncircular aperture adjacent one edge thereof, said noncircular aperture being elongated in a direction parallel to said one edge, said device comprising a carrier member having a handle portion and a retaining surface for said elements, a relatively long member secured at one end to said carrier member and extending therefrom perpendicular to said retaining surface, said member being formed congruous in cross-section to said elongated noncircular aperture for movement through the apertures of said elements and providing a guideway throughout its length, bell crank levers pivotally mounted in said guideway adjacent the other end of said long member for movement in a plane parallel to said one edge and normal to the plane of said element when said long member is positioned with respect to said elements for movement through said apertures thereof, each of said levers including an actuating arm and a support arm having a surface thereof extending beyond and normal to said long member in a normally operative position for engaging the surface of one of said elements on opposite sides of said aperture in the elongated direction to retain a plurality of said elements on said long member in a stacked relation, an actuating member slidably mounted in said guideway and substantially coextensive therewith, said actuating member having a reduced portion at one end and notches on opposed sides of said reduced portion for engaging said actuating arms to move said bell crank levers from said operative position to an inoperative position in which said bell crank levers are within said long member for insertion and withdrawal of said long member with respect to the apertures in said plurality of elements, an operating member secured to the other end of said actuating memberV and movable with respect to said carrier member for imparting movement to said actuating member and said bell crank levers, and a spring member arranged in said carrier member and engaging said operating member for maintaining said actuatling member and said bell crank levers in said normally operative position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,967,731 Ackerson July 24, 1934 2,176,333 Elwing Oct. 17, 1939 2,701,736 Heppenstall Feb. 8, 1955 

